Rose of Jericho

Description

Latin Name: Selaginella Lepidophylla

The Rose of Jericho is native to  the Chihuahua Desert in Mexico, and is famous for being a ‘resurrection plant.

After the rainy season, the plant dries up, dropping leaves and curling branches into a tight ball, and “hibernates”. Within the ball, the fruits remain attached and closed, protecting the seeds and preventing them from being released prematurely.

When deprived of water, the plant does not die, instead it enters a dormant state, and can remain this way for many years. The Rose of Jericho is a tumbleweed, and so when it has curled up and protected its seeds, it retracts its roots and is carried across the desert sands by strong winds, often rolling for decades until it finds a fresh source of water, or until rains come again.

When the plant finally reaches a fresh source of water, the ball begins to unfurl and the resurrection plant really lives up to its name. After appearing dead for years, it will ‘wake up’ from its dormant state, open up and disperse its seeds. If there is enough water in the new location, the seeds will germinate within only a few hours.

Additional information